10 Great Dates Programs

How to Host your Own 10 Great Dates Group

What Other Materials Are Needed for a Successful Group?

    • Television monitor and DVD player
    • Participant’s book (one per couple) The participant’s book for this program is 10 Great Dates to Energize Your Marriage, (Zondervan) (link) which contains a short reading assignment introducing the dating theme for each date. The second part of the book contains the Dating Guide with duplicate tear-out dating exercises, pre-date preparation, date night tips, and a short summary of the reading assignment for the one who might not have time to read the assignment before their date
    • Anything to create a dating atmosphere—music CD, candles, light refreshments (optional)

Good to Know

This curriculum can work equally well in a number of settings and can be used in small or large groups. Basically 10 Great Dates is an opportunity for couples to have time-out to build their marriage and to enrich their relationship. It’s a unique program that combines fun dates and marriage education skills.  

Each session begins with a short video date launch (approximately 15 minutes), where the theme (skill) for that particular date is introduced. Then couples experience their own “great date”! (One and a half hours is the suggested time for the actual date—it’s long enough to have a real date, but not long enough to go to a movie.)  

Most 10 Great Dates groups encourage couples to go out for their date, but a dating atmosphere can also be created at the church or facility if leaving the campus is unrealistic. 10 Great Dates can also be adapted to 60-minute sessions with couples having their own date between sessions, but if at all possible, it’s highly recommended to include dating time within the session. 

One important key is to provide free or low-cost child care. It’s a great program for churches, businesses, agencies, and others who already have child-care facilities. Other ideas for child care include recruiting empty-nesters or teens, or suggesting to parents that they share a babysitter in one family’s home.